05/05/2023 - Research

New immunotherapy targeting tumour macrophages to tackle lung cancer

Researchers from the Innate Immunity group at the Germans Trias i Pujol Research Institute (IGTP) have developed a new immunotherapy based on a monoclonal antibody directed against tumour macrophages. The results obtained lay the foundations for a new treatment for patients with lung cancer, with the potential to be applied to other solid tumours. The study has been published in the journal eBioMedicine.

28/04/2023 - Campus Can Ruti, Institutional, Outreach, Success Stories

The podcast 'Un bri de ciència' explores type 1 diabetes in its second episode

The new episode of the podcast 'Un bri de ciència' is presented under the title "La diabetis tipus 1: quan la defensa t'ataca" (Type 1 diabetes: when your defences attack you). Researcher Marta Vives Pi explains the problems of autoimmune diseases, with an emphasis on type 1 diabetes.

27/04/2023 - Campus Can Ruti, Innovation, Institutional

IGTP is appointed as ‘EATRIS Expert Centre’

EATRIS, the European infrastructure for translational medicine, has appointed 7 Expert Centres, to provide high value added services historically offered by EATRIS Coordination and Support. Those expert services that are complementary to the existing laboratory research services offered by EATRIS institutions cover crucial areas such as innovation management, regulatory strategy, translational feasibility, and early health technology assessment. With 7 newly appointed Expert Centres, EATRIS will continue serving Europe's translational research efforts and growing demand for expert services.

26/04/2023 - Innovation

Four IGTP spin-offs selected in the WomenTechEU call

The European Commission has announced the results of the second WomenTechEU call, which aims to support innovative European deep-tech companies founded by women. This year, 134 women-led companies have been chosen to receive a €75,000 grant to assist with their innovation process and company growth. Among the selected companies are four spin-offs from the Germans Trias i Pujol Research Institute (IGTP). These companies represent a portion of the 20 Catalan women-led companies selected in the WomenTechEU call.

24/04/2023 - Innovation

New reproducible and minimally invasive stroke model through an endovascular approach

Researchers of the Cellular and Molecular Neurobiology (CMN) Research Group at the IGTP have developed and established a novel, reproducible and minimally invasive stroke model in pigs through an endovascular approach. The work has been conducted at the Centre for Comparative Medicine and Bioimage (CMCiB), a centre devoted to translational medicine at the very core of the Can Ruti Campus in Badalona together with the IGTP and the Germans Trias i Pujol University Hospital.

18/04/2023 - Institutional, Projects, Research

The Generalitat de Catalunya recognises 21 IGTP groups as Consolidated or Emerging Research Groups

The Agència de Gestió d'Ajuts Universitaris i de Recerca (AGAUR) has published the final resolution of the call for grants to support the activities of research groups in universities, centres and foundations. In this year's call, 21 IGTP groups have been recognised as Consolidated or Emerging Research Groups, 7 of which will receive funding totalling €340,000.

14/04/2023 - Research

Comprehensive genomic characterisation of malignant peripheral nerve tumour-derived lines challenges current diagnostic criteria

The Hereditary Cancer research group from the Germans Trias i Pujol Research Institute (IGTP) has led an international collaboration that has allowed the genomic characterisation of the most commonly used cell lines derived from malignant peripheral nerve sheath tumours (MPNSTs). This research has generated a detailed catalogue of genomic alterations for each cell line, which can be used to develop strategies for precision therapies. At the same time, a genomic repository has been created that is open to all researchers interested in these tumours. The work has been published in the journal iScience.

11/04/2023 - Research

International consensus highlights the importance of molecular testing for antibiotic resistance in tuberculosis management

A multidisciplinary group of tuberculosis experts from the TBnet and RESIST-TB networks have reached a consensus on key issues related to the molecular prediction of Mycobacterium tuberculosis antibiotic sensitivity or resistance and its clinical implications. The consensus document provides guidance for the design of therapeutic regimens and the optimization of treatments, and is intended to help clinicians manage tuberculosis patients. The paper, published in The Lancet Infectious Diseases and led by Dr José Domínguez from IGTP, is an update of a similar statement made in 2016.

05/04/2023 - Research

Air Pollution is Linked to Lower COVID-19 Vaccine Responses

People exposed to higher levels of air pollution before the pandemic had lower antibody responses to COVID-19 vaccines, according to a study led by the Barcelona Institute for Global Health (ISGlobal), an institution supported by "la Caixa" Foundation, in collaboration with the  Germans Trias i Pujol Research Institute (IGTP). In particular, exposure to fine particulate matter (PM_2.5), nitrogen dioxide (NO₂) and black carbon (BC) was associated with about a 10% decrease in IgM and IgG antibody responses in people without prior infection. The findings, published in Environmental Health Perspectives, provide further evidence on the adverse effects of air pollution on the immune system.

31/03/2023 - Research

EMA gives green light to HIPRA's COVID-19 vaccine as a booster

The Comparative Medicine and Bioimage Centre of Catalonia (CMCiB) participated in the demonstration of the efficacy of the vaccine in its preclinical phase, carrying out studies with the different variants of the virus and with mice as animal models in the high-security level 3 facilities.